Arrive in either Quito or Guayaquil, Ecuador, where you will be met and transferred to your local hotel.

Quito is located in a huge valley of the Andes mountains at an altitude of 9,455 feet; it’s a great place to extend your stay to explore the city, the surrounding volcanic mountain range, or possibly an excursion to the fabled Otavalo market.

Guayaquil is Ecuador’s largest city; with its low elevation and coastal location, it is an ideal point from which to fly to the Galapagos.  The city’s 1.5-mile waterfront Malecon 2000 riverfront promenade is a lovely and enjoyable place to spend an afternoon.

Today is a free day to spend at your leisure. We can suggest and help you book tours in either Quito or Guayaquil (tours are not included in trip rate.)

Quito city tour: Stroll down cobblestone streets and through flowering plazas. Visit the old colonial center of Independence Square, the elegant cathedrals of San Francisco, La Compañía, and San Agustín, Quito’s oldest monastery. Drive through the residential section and past the Legislative Palace (Congress). Panecillo Hill overlooks the city and snow-capped mountains.

Guayaquil city tour: A must-see stop is Malecon 2000, an 80-million-dollar riverside complex built along a two-mile stretch of the Guayas River. The waterfront promenade features restaurants, cafes, shops, and museums with art exhibitions as well as free weekend jazz and classical music concerts. Drive through the colorful streets of one of Ecuador’s most important port cities. Visit the Public Market, the waterfront, the docks, and Simon Bolivar Park, which is famous for its tree iguanas. Also, admire the watchtower, La Rotonda, Old Santa Ana Fort, and Las Penas, a charming colonial section of town frequented by artists.

The moment you’ve been waiting for—arrive in the Galapagos!

In the morning, you will be transferred to the airport to collect your tickets for your flight to the islands. Upon arrival at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal Island, the crew will escort you to your anchored yacht.

Within a few hours, we reach Leon Dormido, (Spanish for sleeping lion), a remnant of a vertical tuff cone formation, rising 500 feet from the ocean. Erosion has split the rock providing a spectacular backdrop for photographs at sunset. As we circumnavigate the formation, you’ll easily spot blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and frigatebirds on the cliffs. After a briefing on activities for the following day, join the Captain and crew for a cocktail reception.

Spend the entire day on Genovesa (Tower) Island, considered to be one of the most spectacular islands in all of the Galapagos for its variety and sheer number of birds. This morning, have a dry landing at Prince Philip’s Steps. Red-footed boobies nest here in Palo Santo trees, and Nazca boobies nest near the trail. In an open lava field, we find storm petrels in large numbers. If you are lucky, you will see the elusive short-eared owl. Look for the beautiful Red-billed Tropic bird found in the crevices along the cliff by kayak or Zodiac.  After a BBQ lunch and a demonstration on how to make ceviche, you’ll have to option to explore the cliff up close by kayak, stand-up paddleboard or a deep water snorkeling excursion.

This afternoon, you’ll land at Darwin Bay, a gorgeous coral sand beach. Here, you’ll see both swallow-tailed gulls and lava gulls gathered near the tide pools. A forest of Optuntia cactus and mangroves provide shelter for the Great frigate birds. Males looking to attract a mate inflate a red pouch on their chest. Round out the afternoon by relaxing on the beach, or choose to swim with friendly, playful sea
lions in these warmer northern waters. When you return to the yacht, you’ll have a short briefing followed by a delicious dinner. If the night is clear, take a stroll out on deck and see a sky full of bright stars. Your guides can point out constellations and help you identify the species of birds flying alongside the yacht.

This morning you will visit Las Bachas, Spanish for “the barges.”  There is a long stretch of a soft white sand beach and interior lagoons where you’ll find the greater flamingo. The snorkeling from the beach here is wonderful. Located on the northern tip of Santa Cruz is Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill). Along the trail, you’ll find Darwin Finches, Galapagos Flycatchers, Yellow Warblers, Audubon Shearwater and the endemic land iguanas, orange-yellow in color with large spines along their backs, were once part of the Darwin Station’s breeding program. You’ll find pink flamingos feeding in the salt-water lagoon as well as other lagoon birds; stilts, pintail ducks, sandpipers and more. From the top of the hill, enjoy a majestic view of the bay island covered in Opuntia cactus, Palo Santo and Cordia Lutea (muyuyu). After the briefing and dinner, sail toward the western islands and cross the equator line for the second time.

This morning, at Punta Vicente Roca, a Zodiac ride offers an incredible view of the tuff walls, we can enter the wave-sculpted cave and find sea turtle who frequent this area. You may spot the dorsal fin of a Mola Mola, an odd-looking giant sunfish.  Don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel here. After lunch,  cross the Bolivar Channel, where you’ll often spot whales and dolphins riding the ship’s bow wave. Disembark at Urbina Bay, ISABELA, where we find four miles of its coastal seabed, with marine life exposed due to a dramatic uplift in 1954 when the volcano erupted. The marine remnants of coral skeletons, some of them waist-high, are visited after a wet landing on the beach. Urbina is home to the very large and colorful Galapagos land iguanas, occasionally giant tortoises, Darwin Finches. Brown Pelicans and Flightless Cormorants also nest here. Giant Marine Iguanas are seen along the coast. You may encounter penguins while snorkeling here. Return to the yacht for briefing and dinner.

This morning, have a wet landing at Punta Espinoza, Fernandina, the youngest and most pristine Island in the Galapagos. Recent lava flows formed by an active volcano stretch their way around the coast. Hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline. Observe sea lion harems with resident bulls carefully guarding their territories. Flightless cormorants build their nests on the point, and Galapagos hawks fly overhead. There is a chance to snorkel here with sea turtles.

After lunch, have a dry landing at Tagus Cove, located on the western Island of ISABELA and a favorite anchorage for pirates and whalers over the centuries. Old graffiti dating back to the 1800′s is written on the rocky cliffs. Explore the Coves by Zodiac or kayak to find Galapagos Penguins, Boobies, Pelicans and other seabirds. An uphill hike brings us to a salt-water lagoon, a scenic overlook with a spectacular view of the ocean, lava fields, and volcanic formations. An excellent snorkeling site is offered from the zodiac or take out a Kayak or paddleboard and explore the shoreline. After dinner, a sky full of stars beckons to go on deck and observe the galaxy while crossing the equator for the last time.

This morning, disembark on Rabida Island, located near Santiago. Rabida sports the most diversified volcanic rocks of all the islands and is considered the geographic center of the Galapagos. The dark red sand beach resulted from erosion of volcanic stones. Follow a trail that leads to a saltwater lagoon, and observe Greater Flamingos as they feed. Brown Pelicans nest in the mangroves at the far side of the lagoon. After the walk, there is time for snorkeling.

This afternoon, guests of the Theory will have a wet landing at Puerto Egas, Santiago. Stroll along the shoreline looking for octopus, starfish, and other sea life caught in the tide pools. At low tide, catch a glimpse of marine iguanas as they feed on exposed green algae. Watch for great blue herons, lava herons, American oystercatchers, and yellow-crowned night herons. Our walk ends at the grottos, deep pools of clear water where we encounter shy fur sea lions once on the verge of extinction.

Guests of the Origin will have a zodiac ride Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) through a series of coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves whose large roots rise out of the water. View pairs of mating sea turtles (Sept to Feb), white-tipped reef sharks and golden cow-nosed rays.

When you wake up this morning, your yacht will be one of dozens anchored in the lively harbor of Academy Bay. You’ll disembark at Puerto Ayora, SANTA CRUZ (2)Island, the social heart of the Galapagos, with a population of 24,000 residents. This morning, visit the breeding center Centro de CrianzaFausto Llerena (2)and the Charles Darwin Research Station where you’ll learn about ongoing conservation efforts from exhibits set up along the wooden trail. You’ll see hatchlings and miniature tortoises that will be repatriated by the National Park when grown. The newest exhibit honors Lonesome George, the last surviving tortoise from Pinta Island that tragically died of natural causes. With his species now extinct, Lonesome George has become a worldwide icon, emphasizing the importance of efforts to preserve and protect endangered wildlife. A more hopeful story is Diego, a saddleback tortoise whose species was reduced to 14 individuals before he was transported from the San Diego Zoo and who has since fathered hundreds of descendants.

Return to the yacht for lunch and later board a bus for a short ride to the highlands of Santa Cruz to a lava tunnel, a hollow formation created when lava on the earth’s surface cools and hardens while molten lava continues to flow in the middle. Your next stop will be Los Gemelos (The Twins), a pair of large, deep craters with vibrant plant life at higher elevation. The next stop is at Rancho Primicias, a privately-owned hacienda, where giant tortoises roam freely – some weighing over 500 pounds – in their natural habitat, feeding or resting in shallow pools. Return to the yacht by zodiac for a delicious multi-course farewell dinner and goodbye presentation from the crew

This morning, drop anchor in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristobal. Visit the Interpretation Center, which was opened in 1999. Here, you will gain a more complete understanding of the natural and human history of the Galapagos Islands. Afterward, spend some time in port before heading to the airport for your noontime Aerogal flight back to the mainland, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

If you have time before your flight, enjoy a city tour or poolside relaxation at your hotel before transferring to the airport for your departure.